


Blue

by network



Series: first light (and the dawn that never ends) [5]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Campaign Spoilers, Canon Typical Violence, M/M, Red War & Beyond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 08:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21133604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/network/pseuds/network
Summary: And as his Light leaves him, so does his hope.





	Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> will you fight or will you fall
> 
> \--
> 
> i'm back babey

All he can smell is smoke.

It settles Zavala’s lungs, clogs up his throat and crawls deeper inside him with every heaving breath he takes, but it’s the last concern on his mind. Muscles creak against heavy metal doors as he tears them open for the flood of citizens – _refugees now_ – to pass safely through. A glance behind him confirms that Taevas – their Guardian, _the_ Guardian – is still keeping the seemingly endless waves of Cabal at bay.

He doesn’t let himself relax as his Ghost confirms to him that the last of the transports away, nor does Taevas as she sprints off to find Ikora, the tail of her cape trailing harmlessly through the flames. Instead, he follows the path to the hangar to find Amanda. She’s already pulling herself into her fighter’s cockpit, concern etched across her face. He sprints up to her, gripping her hand in a silent promise.

“Where d’ya want me, sir?” She asks, obviously comforted by his presence, despite how weakened and small he feels at this moment.

There are a million things he wants to tell her at that moment, in case it’s their last, but instead he settles on a mission brief. Too cold, too formal, but it’ll have to do.

It’s only when her ship leaves the Tower that he allows his shoulders to droop and the adrenaline to fade from his system. From the deserted hangar, he has a perfect view of the Cabal armada, of the smoke rising from the City, of the far-off screams that he’s not sure if he’s imagining or not.

It’s the first time in centuries he’s felt this useless.

There are no more lines to hold, no more civilians to evacuate, no more goodbyes he can say once the comms cut off after Taevas lands on the command ship. He’s utterly alone.

Kyla transmatts in front of him, likely intending to comfort him, but she stumbles in mid-air, the points of her shell drooping as he’s dragged to his knees by the terrible feeling of his Light being ripped out of his body, tearing his soul in two.

And as his Light leaves him, so does his hope.

\--

He pulls himself together long enough to take one of the remaining ships to the skies, avoiding the Cabal patrols as much as possible. When he breaks out of their search area he slumps in his seat, the mix of remnant adrenaline and pure, unadulterated fear that had kept him focused dissipating like mist.

He leaves the autopiloting to Kyla, letting her fuss over fuel reserves as he finally lets his mind rest.

A few hours later he wakes to the bright lights of hyperspace, with his Ghost watching him worriedly. A quiet groan escapes his lips as he pulls himself upright, rubbing at his eyes with calloused fingers.

“Where are we headed?” He asks her, voice far too quiet, far too tired.

“Titan,” Kyla replies, bobbing closer to rest on his shoulder in a show of support. “I received a message from Sloane, that’s where they’ve sent the transports. They’re setting up on the old rig there.”

All he can manage is a hum as he catalogues the multitude of aches and pains throughout his body, the type he hasn’t truly felt in centuries. There are strains all along his arms, raw-hot burns across the exposed skin of his hands, smoke still cloying up his throat. But most of all, there’s the distinct yet indescribable pain of something missing. His missing Light, of course, the phantom pains where he knows his bond with Kyla should be that he can no longer feel.

But there’s also the ache of his missing fireteam.

Last he’d heard of them they were both headed straight for the Cabal. And if they were out there when the Red Legion did – whatever they did – to the Traveler, to their Light, then – well – he didn’t want to consider that possibility.

“Rest,” Kyla commands him in that soft voice of hers. “I’ll keep an eye on things, I promise.”

\--

The air of Titan is tinged with static, a constant undercurrent of electricity that prickles uncomfortably against his exposed skin and metal armour. The ground sways worryingly a little with his steps echoing across it, but he keeps moving forward to the makeshift command centre.

Sloane seems relieved to see him, but hesitant to give him the full numbers on their situation. When she caves he sees why – they’re running low on everything – fuel, food, parts, ammo – civilian numbers seem steady but Guardian ranks are dwindling quickly, and to make it worse the rig is already infested with Hive and Fallen.

Kyla sighs softly, worriedly. “We can make it work.. can’t we?” He finds he doesn’t have an answer. But he doesn’t need one, apparently, when a small voice speaks up behind him.

“…Zavala?” It asks, and he turns to find Amanda watching him, shock plain on her face as she freezes. For a moment she looks exactly as she did when he first met her years ago, as a flighty little girl both afraid of everything and afraid of nothing.

He drops to a knee as she sprints forward, barrelling into his open arms as he tries to hold her as close as possible with both his injuries and bulky armour to take into account. “I thought I lost you.” She cries, and his hands start rubbing reassuring circles into his back.

“I thought the same.” He admits, and she leans back. “How did you-“

“I ran like a coward!” She cries out, and he tugs her close once again. “She- Tae, she was banking on me, but I couldn’t go back to get her! I left her to die!”

For the first time in years, he finds he has nothing to say, so he simply murmurs empty reassurances and tries to hold back tears of his own.


End file.
